On Monday I found myself surprised that a professor explained that we were going to hold a policy debate within a few months. However, we needed to choose our topics for that day.
People began to pair up and begin to debate in pairs. The professor started to suggest topics for debate between the two groups. However, the topic selection and whether or not people wanted to argue “pro” or “con” is where things turned bizarre.
The students were quick to declare that they wanted to oppose the overturning Roe Professor became angry as students tried to convince them to back universal background checks. My classmates weren’t as enthusiastic about her success. Perhaps they worried that their peers would find them bad.
I am familiar with the concept of groupthink. My college classes have not made a significant difference to the students’ mindsets. I attended a progressive California high school. However, the professor noted that many people were unwilling to take an alternative position. This is an alarming fact. It shows that most people struggle to consider and debate opposing positions in depth while maintaining their beliefs.
Researching an opposing stance and learning to understand the nuances of an issue does not magically change someone’s values, at least right away, and it certainly does not make someone a bad person. An academic setting should encourage exploration of a range of ideas. Researching the negative effects of gun control will not instantly make someone a conservative. Neither is it going to turn anyone into a progressive by simply researching student loan debt.
Students learn to debate from the side of a person they disagree with. You may be able to change your mind, or you might find a way to keep the same views. Knowing what the opposing ideology believes makes a person better equipped to understand an issue’s real-world applications outside of a classroom.
Technology is also playing a part in the demise of genuine debate and conversation. My generation, Generation Zers, is used to rapid reactions and not slowing down to consider information. A variety of stances are either poorly represented on social media or not represented whatsoever, and when that’s mixed with the peer pressure of being a young adult on a college campus, it’s a brutal cocktail of close-mindedness.
While nobody should expect young adults to be the most courageous leaders of political thought, clearly something has gone wrong down the line where people are terrified to take a seemingly unpopular stance, even if they’re faking it. Without courage, debate is not possible. Furthering the discussion is difficult if all reasonable perspectives are considered. If people feel afraid they thrive, echo chambers can be broken by encouraging academic thought.
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